The freeloaders aren’t not waterproof to save money. They aren’t waterproof because they aren’t intended to be bags exactly. They’re intended to be giant, adjustable pouches more like, pouches that hold whatever you want to put in them. In the summertime at home, I just throw everything in the FreeLoader loose, or in a grocery bag in the freeloader. On tour, I have big dry duffel bags that slip right into the FreeLoader. Yuba is more on the side of offering giant waterproof bags for its cargo bikes. The Go-Getter, as it’s called is ginormous. But it weighs about 4 pounds, whereas the freeloader only weighs one, so it’s a bit of a trade-off. The other advantage of FreeLoader over regular bag is that since it doesn’t have ends, per se, you can strap really long things into it, like a surfboard or speaker stand or…

I just ordered but have not received my new ‘10′ Dummy. A friend gave me his solution to waterproof freeloaders. He uses the waterproof “Bob” bag. It’s pretty cheap compared to high end waterproof Panniers.

I’m cheap, so I used a few 4-inch long pieces of an old road inner tube. You can also purchase special fittings called Whatchamacollars from Xtracycle that will both keep water out (with o-rings) and secure the V-racks to the frame.

What did you use for the rubber tubing over the frame and where the Xtracycle fits into the frame?

I wish that I knew why manufacturers don’t treat steel frames with an internal rust inhibitor . . . but I don’t. And it’s not just Surly – it’s all of them! Might be cost, might be the slight increase in published frame weight, might be something else. Either way, I end up treating all of my steel frames when they’re new and then every two years or so.

I’m sure the non-waterproof Freeloaders boils down to a cost issue, but a waterproof version would be nice in the summer and a virtual requirement in the winter thanks to road slush. I’m not worried about breathable because I can’t think of anything I’d put in the bag that would need to breathe.

I didn’t think the Big Dummy was my style, either. Then I rode it and the rest is history!

I see that you like modifying bikes, but shouldn’t a frame maker like Surly have already treated a steel frame inside and out. Is there any reason, shipping for instance, that they wouldn’t have treated the inside of the frame with the best anti-rust treatment.
Bags that aren’t weather (water) proof just boggle my mind. I can’t imagine what could go in those bags that you wouldn’t want wet. Why not make the right one waterproof and the left one breath-able.
I dig platform pedals.
Not my style at all, but I like Surly so I checked it out

Absolutely! Post away!

Greetings — may I post a picture of this Big Dummy on my blog?

http://www.xtracyclegallery.com

Naturally I will attribute and link and so forth…

Thanks in advance!!

John

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Good write-up! Thanks for sharin’ the Big Dummy Love.